When I plug in a synth or other gadget with stereo output, if it's a black and red cord I sometimes see to it that the red goes into the right socket and black into left. Sometimes I don't care (especially if the inputs aren't clearly marked L/R). If i have cords with other colours I don't bother checking. Whatever - as long as you get the stereo feeling who cares if the thing I set to left is actually in the left speaker, right? ( )

Always try to do it left .. erm .. right .. as otherwise I dont know where the sound comes from .. or what to tweak to get it right ... left ... ok _________________Jan
(yawning shifts perceived pitch, making things more interesting)

I answered "Yes" although, for some of my synths like Waldorf Q, I should have answered "I always make sure left is connect to right and vice versa" because outputs are reversed ... known (never fixed) bug ...

When I plug in a synth or other gadget with stereo output, if it's a black and red cord I sometimes see to it that the red goes into the right socket and black into left. Sometimes I don't care (especially if the inputs aren't clearly marked L/R). If i have cords with other colours I don't bother checking. Whatever - as long as you get the stereo feeling who cares if the thing I set to left is actually in the left speaker, right? ( )

So how do you guys feel about this important philosophical question?

For me it is a practical issue: namely that troubleshooting becomes difficult if there is no consistency for channels on the signal path.

- as long as you get the stereo feeling who cares if the thing I set to left is actually in the left speaker, right?

I add layers as I record and I have experimented with beginning non-centered layers on left side and right side and then alternating. I like it better when I start on the left. I don't know why; I just do.

So it does matter to me that my synth monitors agree with my recorder and with my CD players.

When I plug in a synth or other gadget with stereo output, if it's a black and red cord I sometimes see to it that the red goes into the right socket and black into left. Sometimes I don't care (especially if the inputs aren't clearly marked L/R). If i have cords with other colours I don't bother checking. Whatever - as long as you get the stereo feeling who cares if the thing I set to left is actually in the left speaker, right? ( )

So how do you guys feel about this important philosophical question?

OMG How could anyone be so careless to connect the left and right channels of stereo gear incorrectly This blatant disregard of proper order invites chaos that could upset the balance of the universe …

In all seriousness though, most stereo sound sources that I use (especially synths and FX units) have some way of controlling the difference between the output channels, so it just makes practical sense to take care to make the correct connections to avoid confusion. Therefore, I voted YES!_________________varice

But now that you mention it ... should load that one into a Nord again.

Quote:

I think that I will add a control to swap stereo channels in this patch and then do some more listening tests…

Heh ... headphones are almost self swapping but ok, to put some science in ... could roll the dice a bit on the swapper then ... but you'd need music that you do not already know then hmm .. not easy to test ..._________________Jan
(yawning shifts perceived pitch, making things more interesting)

I said yes, because most of the time its true. However, I have (on a few occasions) set up a L/R crossfade [think midi pan] between two modules by swapping L & R on one of them. But that was just once or twice as an experiment. (Good question!)
Steve

But now that you mention it ... should load that one into a Nord again.

Quote:

I think that I will add a control to swap stereo channels in this patch and then do some more listening tests…

Heh ... headphones are almost self swapping but ok, to put some science in ... could roll the dice a bit on the swapper then ... but you'd need music that you do not already know then hmm .. not easy to test ...

Not easy to scientifically test indeed… since any listening test would be based on the subjective opinions of each person involved… and all of the vast number of variables involved…

But I wasn’t planning on writing a strictly scientific paper about the perceived benefit of swapping stereo channels though…

But with all that said, I did notice that swapping stereo channels *did* make a perceived difference in the presentation of records that I tested…

So, I would have to say at this point that it is a *very* interesting* theory* that the stereo panning of particular sounds in a track may affect the listeners perceived enjoyment of a track… This theory does need more testing…_________________varice

I've been wondering about this. Not in such a concise way as you, but I've noted that my cell phone earplug has to go in the left ear. That just feels right - in the right ear it just feels strange and wrong. This is spite of my left ear being my problem ear; it's a little bit damaged and have periodic mild tinnitus. I.e. on an intellectual and practical level, I should've preferred the right ear... Perhaps I prefer the left ear for ear plugs in order to keep my right ear free to hear the world around me(?)

Edit: Aha! Google search for "preferred ear". I'm right handed so should prefer the right ear according to the first few links I read, but again, maybe I want to keep my best ear free when telephoning... Hmm... I'm confused now. I'd not rule out that it's just a plain old habit, and that I could adapt to "swapping ears".

Certainly! Growing up, when I listened to loud music, I took the hearing aid out of my right ear to follow along with the bass, while leaving the hearing aid in my left ear for everything else.

Now I have a cochlear implant in my left ear, so at the moment I am most definitely left-eared, albeit technologically if not psychoacoustically. I plan to get a second implant, and I'm going to keep an ear out (so to speak) for whether I have a preference for one ear or the other._________________AudiodefGentoo Studio

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